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“Because of the historic reluctance to engage and operate overseas, it is self-evident that there is still huge potential in the German defence structure to deliver more useful firepower to the alliance,” Mr Hammond told the Daily Telegraph.

Asked about Germany’s attitude to its wartime role, Mr Hammond said: “It was quite a long while ago.”

Mr Hammond said that in the next few years he hoped to see greater German willingness to “pick up the burdens that go with a globally-important economy.”

The history of the last global conflict has held back both Germany and its major Axis ally, he suggested.

“In the case of Germany and Japan, two of the worlds biggest economies, both of them spend a significant amount on defence but have been reluctant historically to engage.”

That reluctance is fading, he said, citing German operations in Afghanistan and Japanese counter-piracy work off Somalia. But there is still further to go, he said.

Germany itself is more conscious of its history than other nations, Mr Hammond suggested.

“When we look around Europe, I don’t think there would be many of our European allies who fear Germany from a military point of view or as a security threat.”

Mr Hammond said he wanted Berlin to “significantly increase its military capability” and praised the “huge strides” the country has already taken in ending conscription and creating smaller, more professional armed forces.

Mr Hammond spoke after he met his German counterpart, Thomas de Maiziere, who is pushing for reforms to create a more potent and deployable German military.

“I detect a determination that Germany’s role in NATO should continue to normalise. It intends to become a more significant player,” Mr Hammond said.

In a speech to German defence experts at the British embassy, Mr Hammond later said Germany needs muster “public support and political commitment” for an increased military capability.